Essex County College Police Academy, Cedar Grove - Attorney
General Peter Harvey, New Jersey State Police Superintendent
Rick Fuentes and Essex County Prosecutor Paula Dow today announced
the arrest of numerous individuals after an extensive investigation
dubbed Operation BrickHouse. The operation exposed a direct
connection between street-level heroin sales by the Bloods
street gang and a Colombian cartel supplier.

The investigation, began in September 2003, resulted in the
issuance of arrest warrants for twenty-four individuals located
in New Jersey and New York. Operation BrickHouse quickly escalated
and identified large-scale heroin distributors operating in
the Essex County area. These individuals were responsible
for distributing approximately one pound of packaged heroin
each week within Newark. This heroin eventually made its way
to other locations within New Jersey including New Brunswick,
Asbury Park and Paterson.

"We will continue to reclaim our neighborhoods from drug
dealers, gang members and others who threaten ordinary citizens,"
said Attorney General Harvey. "We are committed to taking
back the community from criminals and we will continue to
vigorously investigate, flush out and prosecute this menace
in our communities."

"We are less concerned with photo opportunities that show
drugs on the table than we are with dismantling criminal enterprises,"
said Colonel Fuentes. "The success of Operation BrickHouse
relied on the time consuming process of building this case
from drug runners on the streets to the major decision makers
in criminal enterprises."

"This investigation established a nexus between street gangs,
street level drug sales and international drug cartels. It
is a well-known fact that profits from narcotics sales are
key to financing other illegal activities." Fuentes added.

"Since assuming the post of Acting Essex County Prosecutor
in 2003, I have targeted gang and drug activity as a priority,"
said Acting Essex County Prosecutor Paula Dow. "I remain committed
to the dedication of valuable resources to address this burgeoning
problem. The residents of the Felix Fuld Houses deserve a
decent quality of life and safe place to live."

Working cooperatively with the East Orange and Newark Police
Departments, this investigation initially targeted heroin
sales by Bloods members Ali McKinnon and Sharif Gillard. McKinnon
allegedly controlled heroin distribution in and around the
Felix Fuld Public Housing Complex in Newark. The complex,
also known as "Little Bricks," is a public housing complex
rampant with violence and drug distribution run by members
of the Bloods street gang.

Luis Manuel Antonio Estevez of New York was identified as
a key supplier, selling large amounts of packaged heroin to
dealers in Essex County. This same heroin was eventually sold
to Bloods street gang members. Estevez has been arrested by
members of the New Jersey State Police Street Gang Bureau
and charged with being the leader of a narcotic distribution
network, racketeering and conspiracy. He is presently being
held in the Essex County Jail in lieu of $2.5 million bail.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) was a partner in
Operation BrickHouse and is looking into possibly expanding
the investigation. These companion investigations identified
a large, structured network in which the raw heroin was processed
in Colombia, smuggled into the United States, packaged in
New York City and made available to gang members in Newark.

The New Jersey State Police would like to acknowledge the
other law enforcement agencies that assisted in Operation
BrickHouse. These agencies include: The Drug Enforcement Administration,
Immigration and Customs Enforcement Administration, United
States Marshal's Service, New Jersey Attorney General's Office,
the Division of Criminal Justice, New York City Police Department,
Essex County Prosecutor's Office, Newark Police Department,
East Orange Police Department and Tinton Falls Police Department.

The following individuals have been have
been arrested this morning and charged with racketeering,
distribution of heroin and conspiracy:

NAME

AGE

CITY

Dwight Sanders

37

Orange

Kevin Davis

43

Newark

Rhodesia Mays

20

Newark

Photo
not
available

Joyce Green

55

Newark

Rasuwl Walls

41

New Brunswick

William Green

29

Newark

Shawn Johnson

34

Newark (arrested 7-19)

Photo
not
available

Steve Sylvester

21

Newark

Photo
not
available

Darien Scriven

39

Brooklyn

Photo
not
available

Leon Robinson

26

Middlesex Boro

Photo
not
available

Henry Ledbetter

34

Millville

The following individuals were previously
arrested during “Operation BrickHouse”:

NAME

AGE

CITY

Marcel Green

35

Newark

Charles Hill

55

Montclair

Photo
not
available

John Best

61

Staten Island, NY

Kurtis Barnes

27

Asbury Park

The following individuals are currently
incarcerated and will be served with charges in jail: